CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Will mankind survive the millennium?
That’s the question being thrown out for consideration in a contest sponsored by the University of Illinois’ Program in Arms Control, Disarmament and International Security. The contest is open to all U. of I. students and faculty and staff members, as well local community members.
ACDIS director Clifford E. Singer said the contest is being organized “to stimulate thought and academic discussion on the most significant challenges confronting our world as we enter a new century and the third millennium.”
The contest actually requires entrants to pose questions of their own that relate to the general question of whether or not mankind will be around to usher in the next millennium.
According to entry requirements, “Submissions should pose a single question expected to provide a major intellectual and practical challenge through a significant part of the 21st century. … Submitted questions may focus on the humanities or social or natural sciences or be multidisciplinary in nature.”
Further, “each submission must be accompanied by a brief (one page) abstract placing the question in its historical context and explaining its importance and relevance to the destiny of man.” The abstract also must indicate “why the question is potentially answerable over the coming century but the answer is not yet known.”
Entries must be typed, and must include the contestant’s name, status (i.e., faculty member, student, community member, etc.), as well as contact information.
Submissions will be a judged by a group appointed by the ACDIS executive committee, and successful entrants will be asked to present their ideas at one of ACDIS’ upcoming Millennium series seminars. A draft of 680 to 2,300 words, suitable for publication in the ACDIS bulletin, “Swords and Ploughshares,” must be submitted at the time of the presentation. An award of $100 will be paid upon submission of a revised manuscript.
Entries should be submitted by e-mail to acdis@illinois.edu, or mailed to ACDIS, 359 Armory Building, 505 E. Armory Ave., Champaign, Il 61820, by Feb. 29.
U. of I. units co-sponsoring the contest include the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Center for Advanced Study; Center for African Studies; European Union Center; Russian and East European Center; and South Asia and Middle Eastern Studies. Also, the departments of electrical and computer engineering; geography; history; physics; nuclear, plasma and radiological engineering; and political science.
For more information about the contest, contact ACDIS director Singer; c-singer@illinois.edu, or 333-7086.
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